It Was Always You
by DreamsFromADistance
Summary: In the Underworld, some confessions need to be made. No more pretending. Regina and Emma needed to tell each other the truth. "It was always you. It has always been you." Alternative season 5 ending. SwanQueen. [COMPLETE]
1. The Confession

_**A/N:**_ _After last night's episode of OUAT, this idea came to me. Hope you enjoy :)_

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I do not own OUAT, its characters, or its storylines._

 _In the Underworld, some confessions need to be made. No more pretending. Regina and Emma needed to tell each other the truth. "It was always you. It has always been you." SQ Oneshot. Set sometime in the middle of season 5B._

* * *

 _~It Was Always You~_

 _I_ _t was always you, Regina. It has always been you, but I've just been too damn scared to say it._

Emma glanced at her mother, who was sitting at the kitchen table in the Underworld version of her loft. It was just the two of them. This was the perfect time. She had to tell her.

She put her hand on the silver chain that held Hook's ring.

 _This isn't right._

She took off the necklace and held it in her hands. She let out a breath and looked back at Snow.

"Mom?"

She turned to look at Emma.

"I need to tell you something."

"What is it, honey?"

Emma walked around the island and joined her at the table. She placed the necklace down and pushed it aside slightly. "I need to tell you the truth."

Snow waited patiently for her to continue.

* * *

Regina was walking in the woods.

 _Why am I doing this? Moping about? I am in the Underworld right now, and this is what I'm truly upset about?_

She envied the way they stared longingly at each other. When they embraced. When they kissed.

 _What about all of the times our eyes met? How about the first time we looked at each other when Henry brought you home to me? Why haven't we embraced, Emma? We've only ever done that when it was Henry, you, and I. What is it about that pirate that makes your heart flutter every time you see him?_

 _Why isn't it me, Emma? It should be me._

Regina leaned against a tree and sighed. She shouldn't be thinking this way. She had Robin. They were destined to be together.

But where the hell was he? He seemed to make a habit of disappearing while they were here.

 _I have never felt the same way about Robin as I have you, Emma. It has always been you._

She closed her eyes and listened to her heart for once, speaking the words she had kept hidden for too long.

"I love you, Emma."

She waited for a response, wanting nothing more than to hear the blonde's voice.

And a few minutes later, she got her wish.

"Regina?"

Regina's eyes flashed open, and she backed away from the tree. "Emma. What are…? What are you doing here?"

"I was just taking a walk. I, um, needed to clear my mind. You?"

"Same."

The two stared at each other uncomfortably for a few moments before Emma opened her mouth.

"I think… We, um, need to talk."

Regina's heart began to pound. She'd heard it. Why else would she want to talk to her? "I… I suppose we do."

"I heard what you said, Regina."

She looked away from her gaze. "And you don't love me back."

* * *

"It's about Regina."

"What about her?"

"I… I, um…" Emma glanced down at her shaking hands. Her mother noticed this and took hold of her hands.

"Emma, it's okay. Tell me what's on your mind."

"I love her, Mom. It's always been her."

She allowed herself to look up at Snow. She expected shock, confusion, maybe even a hint of anger in her expression. Regina was the Evil Queen after all, and despite how far she had come since the original curse, Emma wouldn't have been surprised if her mother was somewhat unaccepting. But all she saw was understanding in her eyes. Like she had expected it, but never opened her mouth to say it. And she was smiling.

"I know."

"You do?"

"Emma, tell me. Why did you sacrifice yourself to the darkness for Regina?"

"Because she worked too hard to have her happiness destroyed."

"That's one reason. But deep down, why did you do it?"

Emma smiled slightly. "Because I love her."

"And why did you give Regina the dagger back in Camelot?"

"Because I love her."

"And on the night of the dance, why did you save Robin for her?"

"Because I love her. And I would do anything to make sure her happy ending wasn't taken from her. Even if that happy ending wasn't me."

Snow gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

"What if she doesn't feel the same way about me?"

"Well, your father took a chance with me. I wasn't exactly very welcoming when we first met. I hit him with a rock and then ran away."

Emma laughed. "And if she does feel the same way about me, you would be okay with it?"

"Of course, honey."

"Even after everything she did to you? To dad?"

"Yes, Emma. She may have cast a curse that destroyed all of our happy endings and separated us from you, but she has come such a long way since then. She is not the person she once was. And you? You were the first person to see her not for the Evil Queen, but for just Regina. You believed in her potential to change for the better when everyone else doubted her. You fought for her. And if all of that isn't true love, then I don't know what is."

"Thank you, Mom. It means a lot to me. That you would be accepting of us."

Snow pulled her into a hug. "She makes you happy, Emma. And I want nothing more than my daughter to be happy." They stayed like that for a few minutes before she spoke again. "Now, I think there's something you need to do."

"I need to tell Regina how I feel."

"Exactly."

Emma backed away from her and nodded. She stood up from her chair and began to walk to the door when another question came to her mind. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think she loves me?"

"Do you want me to go through the list of reasons why I think she loves you too? Or would you rather hear that from her yourself?"

Emma smiled.

"Now go do what us Charmings do best. Go find her."

So she did. She left the house and headed to the one place she just knew that she would find her that day. Something was pulling her there, like the bond they shared brought her to exact location Regina was at. That bond… It was so much. It represented the changes they had gone through in their relationship. First enemies, then friends, then…

Would there be another then?

She found her. The words of her parents echoed in her mind.

 _I will find you, Regina. I will always find you._

She was in the woods. She saw her leaning against a tree, her eyes closed. And she knew there would be another then when she heard those four words escaped her lips.

 _I love you, Emma._

* * *

"And what if I told you that wasn't true?"

Regina looked up at Emma, allowing herself to get lost in her green eyes. How…? Could it even be possible that she loved her? She'd said "what if". It was all hypothetical. Right? She was just trying to make her feel better before the devastating blow. When she told her she didn't love her back. At least not like how she loved Hook. Why would she even have risked her life for him if she felt anything for her?

She remembered watching Emma cry over his body the night he died, not wanting to let go of him when the paramedics carried him off on the stretcher.

She loved him. It was a simple as that.

"Emma. You don't really mean that."

"Yes, I do."

There was no hesitation in her voice. No disbelieving glint in her eyes. She was actually being genuine.

Emma was approaching her. It made her heart skip a beat.

Regina still didn't want to hold on to the hope that she was telling the truth.

"You have Hook."

"And you told me I was too good for him."

 _You're too good for me, Emma._

She shrugged it off. "Well, it's true."

"You told me that because you love me."

"Maybe I did."

"And when you tried to stop me from sacrificing myself to the darkness. Why did you do that?"

"Because I love you."

Emma was standing in front of her now. She was so damn close. "And when you came with me to the Underworld to save Hook. Why did you do that?"

"Because I love you, Emma Swan, and I want you to be happy even if it's not with me." She shook her head. "Why are you asking me all of these questions?"

 _Don't put me through more of this, Emma. Please. Don't set me up for false hope._

 _Just tell me the truth._

Her response. It so genuine again.

"Because my mother just did the same thing to me. And I said the exact same thing. I did everything for you because I love you, and I wanted you to be happy even if your happiness meant being with someone else."

Emma took hold of her hands. They fit so perfectly around her own.

"Remember in Camelot when you used the dagger on me to have me confess why I was still holding on to the darkness?"

"Yes."

"That last wall. You never got the chance to knock it down."

 _She does love me._

 _Her last wall… It was telling me that she loved me._

"I was afraid to start a future with Hook because I knew deep down it wasn't what I wanted. And I couldn't tell you I loved you. Not when I knew… Or thought… That you loved Robin." Emma paused, gazing into her eyes for a few moments. "How long?"

Regina smiled. "Since the first night I met you. It's always been you, Emma."

"Me too."

Regina let go of her hands and threw her arms around her neck. "I love you, Emma."

Emma put her arms around her waist and pulled her body close to hers. "I love you, too, Regina."

They kissed.

And a second time.

And a third time.

This moment, this closeness, this bond they shared that had forever been developing since the first time they'd met… All of it was truly magical.

She remembered the words she had told Snow years ago.

 _Love,_ true _love, is_ magic.

When they backed away, they stared longingly into each other eyes, smiling a mile a minute. No words needed to be spoken to show how happy they were to have finally admitted their love for each other.

"You don't know how long I have been waiting to do that."

"If I am not mistaken, Regina, you almost kissed me when Henry was stuck in the mine."

"I was very concerned about Henry's safety."

"So you approach me ever so closely and search my eyes like you were pleading with me to jump in your arms and kiss you?"

"Shut up."

"You really did treat me like crap back then. It was much worse than my mom smacking my dad in the chin with a rock."

"I didn't know how to love well, Emma. I had to come to terms with my feelings for you. Because… Well, how could enemies be lovers?"

"I asked myself the same question."

Regina thought back to the earlier part of their conversation. "So you told Snow?"

The blonde nodded.

"And?"

"She knew it all along. And she's happy for us."

"Us?"

"She knew you loved me too."

Snow had really become a best friend to her. Regina frowned. The woman never deserved any of the things she did to her. Snow had revealed the secret of her relationship with Daniel to her mother because she wanted her to be happy. How she had justified that it was fair to take away an entire realm's happiness for the sake of making Snow pay was terrible.

She needed to talk to her. Tell her how truly sorry she was for having constantly made her life a living hell.

And Charming, too.

"I'm really sorry about what I did to your parents, Emma. And to you. If I had the power to take it all back, give you those missing years back, I would."

"I know you would. Just like when you gave me and Henry good memories after giving up the thing you loved most to save us from Pan's curse. Even though it pained you to let us go and know that we would not remember who you were, you still did it anyway. And now I know that Henry wasn't the only thing you loved most that you had to give up that day."

"I had to give up two things."

"And why did you do that?"

Regina smiled. "Because I love both you and Henry very much."

"And I do, too."

They took a step back from each other and held hands as they began to walk through the woods. Regina came to a sudden realization.

 _Liar._

She couldn't help herself. She fell back into character of the mayor the blonde thought she had known so well.

"You didn't come here to clear your mind, Miss Swan."

Emma laughed. "No. I, um, came here to find you. I just had a feeling that you'd be here."

"Kind of like magic?"

"Yeah. But maybe it's in my blood, too. You know I will always find you, Regina."

"How very _charming_ of you."

They glanced at each other, a grin on both of their faces. After a few moments of silence, she let herself repeat the very words that used to bring her such anger.

"I will always find you, too, Emma."

The blonde responded by giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

The Underworld.

Of all the places they would admit their love for one another.

What a story to tell.

How were they going to tell…?

Wait.

A story…

Regina stopped. "Henry…"

Emma looked at her in understanding. "Henry. He'll know."

"That book… It was always troublesome, wasn't it?"

They made their way to the loft.

* * *

 _T_ _he Evil Queen and the Savior had finally found their happy endings._

 _It had always been each other._

Henry smiled.

"I knew it."

He ran down the stairs and took a seat at the kitchen table. A few minutes later, the door opened to reveal the two people he wanted to see. His mothers.

"So… I was wondering when you two would finally admit your love for each other." He turned around to face them, holding up the pages containing their story.

Regina frowned. "And he's already finished it."

"So much for the surprise, kid."

Henry stood up from the chair and pulled both of his mothers into a hug. "I love you, Moms."

And at the same time, they both replied.

"We love you, too, Henry."

This is what he had always hoped for. Both of his mothers together.

"Think you have time to read the story?"

"I don't see why not. Hades can wait. This is more important anyway. What do you think, Emma?"

"I agree. Besides, we're giving Hades a little something he despises."

"What's that?"

"Hope."

Regina beamed.

The three of them sat around the table, Regina and Emma holding hands as they read through the pages Henry had put together. Once they finished, his mothers commented on the same parts they had the first time he had completed a story in the Underworld.

"Your writing, Henry… It's great. It really captures the emotions of how we were feeling… And you weren't even there. How did you do that?"

He shrugged. "It kind of just came to me."

"And this illustration…" Regina held up a picture of her and Emma kissing the first time. "It's wonderful, dear."

"Thanks, Moms."

"However, Henry. This is the _only_ intimate moment you get to write about your mother and I."

"Mom!"

"Regina!"

"What? I think it's a perfectly valid request."

Emma took her hand away from Regina's grasp and lightly slapped her shoulder. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Regina. Jeez."

"And you just made it worse now. Way to go, Emma."

Henry shook his head and hurried to change the subject.

"So… Is it true? You two fell in love at first sight?"

Regina and Emma nodded, then looked at each other.

"One simple conversation."

"All thanks to you Henry. If you hadn't brought Emma home that night, I would have never met the love of my life."

Emma smiled. "Hi."

Regina said the question with such ease. "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"

Henry was really glad he had decided to find his birth mother three years ago.

Outside the loft, a flower began to bloom. It was Snow who noticed this later, and she bent down to inspect it briefly before turning back to her husband.

"She must have told her."

Charming looked at the flower and smiled. "And Regina must have felt the same way."

* * *

 _If only this is what had happened last night. *Sighs*_

 _Review? :D_


	2. Moving On

**_A/N:_** _So I am back with a second chapter of this story! There will also be a third chapter and who knows, maybe more if inspiration hits/anyone has any ideas for the story. I would like to give a shout out to Charming-MillsFam for giving me an idea for continuing this story. Thank you very much! :) And thanks to all of you supporting this story. I really appreciate it! :)_

 _This is an alternative season five ending, so it doesn't really follow what happened in last night's episode (or what may possibly happen) later on. There are Regina/Robin and Emma/Hook moments in this chapter, but this story is all for SwanQueen and you will see why I incorporated the scenes I did. Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Two: Moving On_

It had been two weeks since they had successfully defeated Hades and made it out of the Underworld.

Things had finally settled down.

Regina was glad to be back in the _real_ Storybrooke and that for once, no evil was threatening to break apart the town.

But what brought her the greatest happiness was knowing that Emma loved her. She always had.

She was walking along the beach with Emma, her right hand holding on to the blonde's left hand. It was midafternoon, and they had just finished eating lunch together at Granny's.

Emma had come up with the idea the night before, calling her to let her know to wear "appropriate" attire for their Saturday together.

"You have to wear something different. Like casual clothes."

"I wear casual clothes."

"I'm sorry, Regina, but dress pants and a blouse does not count as casual clothes. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen you wear anything that wasn't businesslike."

"I wear sweats around the house sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"Yes."

"Do you even own a pair of jeans?"

"I imagine that I do."

"You imagine, huh? That proves my point. You never wear casual clothes."

"Oh, stop. I own jeans, Emma."

"Then wear them tomorrow."

So as Emma had requested, she succumbed to wearing jeans, a gray t-shirt, and flats. Although the idea had bothered her a little at first, it was actually nice to wear something more comfortable. She received some surprised glances from a few of the customers in the diner at her outfit, but she quickly dismissed it. She had been more interested in what Emma had planned for her after lunch.

Emma suddenly pulled her toward the ocean, and she let go of her hand so she could roll up the bottom of her jeans. They had already kicked off their shoes shortly after arriving at the beach. Regina followed suit and joined her with walking through the water. It was almost summer, and the water was warm to the touch. Regina longed for more days like this, when she could spend time with the blonde outdoors.

 _Splash!_

"Emma!"

She turned around to see the blonde gazing out at the sky with her hands behind her back, pretending to be clueless about the whole situation. Regina put her hands on her hips, waiting for Emma to acknowledge the fact that she had just splashed water in her direction.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"I think you know what."

Emma grinned.

Regina leaned down and cupped the water in her hands, tossing it at the blonde.

"Hey!"

"You did it first."

Emma just stared at her for a few seconds before she kicked more water towards her.

"Emma Swan!"

She flashed her another wide-tooth grin before taking off running, yelling over her shoulder, "Catch me if you can!"

"Miss Swan, you are so childish sometimes!" Yet she chased after her, both of them engaging in a brief water war before Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and pulled her close. "Caught you, dear." She leaned over Emma's shoulder slightly to meet her for a kiss. The blonde smiled as they parted.

"I love you, Regina."

"I love you, too, Emma."

Emma turned around to face her, and they shared a few passionate kisses. The blonde then reached for her hand again, and they continued to trek across the sand, talking and laughing about whatever came to each other's minds.

Regina could tell Emma had become livelier ever since admitting her feelings to her, and she had come into her own again. Between being the Dark One and going to the Underworld to save Hook, she let herself drown into doing what she thought was right, and that was being with Hook. She lost her sense of self because of him. Of course, Regina realized she had let her own self slip away as well as she tried to convince herself that Robin was her true love. Around the blonde, she could be herself and more easily now that their feelings for each other were mutual. She knew Emma felt the same.

It still hadn't made it easy to say goodbye to Hook for Emma, or for her to separate from Robin.

* * *

 _~Three Weeks Prior~_

Regina walked into the forest clearing, finding Robin standing near a tree as he tended to his bow. They weren't far from Zelena's house, and she called him to let him know where to meet. Baby Hood was being watched by the Charmings, and after some encouragement from Emma, she had finally mustered the courage to tell Robin the truth about her feelings for the blonde. It had been a few days after they had confessed their love for one another, and neither of them had said anything about it to Robin or Hook. Charming, Snow, and Henry insisted on keeping her and Emma's relationship a secret, allowing them to be the ones to admit to the truth.

(Snow had kept her secret this time.)

"Robin?"

He turned around and looked up at her. "Regina." He leaned in to kiss her, but she backed away. "Regina? Is everything…?"

The dreaded sentence that signaled inevitable trouble in a relationship dropped from her mouth. Robin searched her eyes, trying to decipher the message she was about to deliver to him.

"We need to talk."

"Oh. Um, what about?"

Regina shifted uncomfortably. "It's about… About us, Robin."

"Have I done something to upset you?"

She shook her head. "No, no. It's nothing you've done. I've just… Well, I guess I've just realized some things while being down here."

He took her hands in his. "What's that, Regina?"

She looked away.

"You can tell me anything."

"I, um…" She took a deep breath and allowed herself to look back at him. "I love Emma."

"What?"

"I love her. It's always been her."

Robin let go of her hands. "Really?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, dear. I… I never thought she loved me back, so I just ignored my feelings. Look, I understand if you're mad at me…"

He didn't give her a chance to finish. "But she does love you back?"

"Yes."

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Then I'm happy for you."

"You… You are?"

Robin nodded. "If you are truly in love with her, then why am I to stop you? I want you to be happy, and if that's with someone else, I don't want to hold you back from that happiness."

"Thank you." She pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Robin. For being so understanding."

"Of course, Regina."

"Please know that you made me very happy too. And I did love you. Just not as much as I've loved Emma." She stepped away from him, took hold of his hand, and lightly patted it with her other hand. "You are such a compassionate and wonderful and caring person, Robin. And I have enjoyed the time I have spent with you. I do hope that one day you will fall in love with someone who feels as deeply for you as you have felt for me."

He smiled.

Regina let his hand go and took a few steps backward.

"Regina?"

"Yes?"

"Do know that I am still here for you. As a friend."

She smiled. "As am I."

* * *

Hook had not taken it as well as Robin.

Emma ended up telling him the same day Regina told Robin.

"You mean that all of this time, you've felt absolutely nothing for me?"

"No! That's not true, Killian. I did feel something for you, but it just wasn't the same way I felt for Regina."

"I can't believe you, Emma Swan. You've lied to me. All of this time."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think she felt the same way."

"So I've been your bloody second this whole time?"

Her voice faltered at his harsh tone. "I'm sorry…"

He stood up from the table then and slammed the door on his way out of the loft. Unbeknownst to Hook, Regina had been in the upstairs bedroom, listening to the conversation. She came to the loft some time before Hook arrived, letting her know how it went with Robin. Emma heard her walk down the stairs.

"Emma. I am so sorry."

"I… I thought…"

She couldn't finish the sentence. The tears won instead, and as soon as Regina pulled up a chair next to her, she rested her head on her chest and cried.

"After everything I've done for him… He couldn't be at least a little understanding?"

"I know, dear. That wasn't very fair of him." She rubbed comforting circles on her back. "See why I think you are too good for him?"

"Yeah…" She felt herself crying harder. "I'm sorry…"

"There's nothing you need apologize for, Emma. Take the time that you need."

Her parents soon returned to the loft with Baby Hood and Henry. When Snow saw the scene, she took a seat next to Emma, whispering gentle words in her ear. Charming put a hand on Emma's shoulder and rubbed it briefly before heading upstairs with Baby Hood. Henry joined them, standing next to Regina. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw Regina take Snow's hand. And that was enough to calm her down.

In that moment, it was hard for her to imagine that a feud ever occurred between the two women.

Robin tried to talk to Hook the next day, but he reported back to her that it hadn't been successful.

"I don't understand," he said to Emma. "I mean, of course it hurt finding out that Regina's heart belonged to someone else while I was with her, but it's not like you were cheating on Hook the entire time you two were together. You hadn't even known Regina felt the same way."

"So much for being the changed, decent man he wanted to be," Emma said sadly.

"Maybe he'll come around?" Robin said hopefully.

Regina sighed. "I don't know, Robin. He seemed pretty bent out of shape when I saw him today. Thank you for trying to talk to him, though."

"I could try again."

Emma shook her head. "No. If he's so pissed with me, he needs to come talk to me. So if either of you see him, you tell him to come find me. I'm not chasing his sorry ass to apologize to him. He owes _me_ an apology."

Regina smiled at her. "There's that fiery spirit I remember. That's the Emma who cut down a branch from my apple tree."

Robin looked at Emma in surprise. "You did what now?"

"Well, let's just say Regina wasn't very heartwarming when I first came to Storybrooke. She tried to frame me for stealing Henry's file from his shrink and had me arrested. As soon as my mom bailed me out, I headed straight for that apple tree outside Town Hall. Chainsaw and everything."

"Wow. I suppose I can say if I cross you, I'd better watch my back."

Regina walked over to Emma and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I have to say. My girlfriend's pretty badass."

That sent the three of them into a fit of laughter.

Two days later, Hook approached her. She was walking down the hellish version of Main Street when she heard him say her name.

"Emma."

She kept walking. "So you want to talk to me now?"

"Yes, Emma. I've done some thinking, and…"

She stopped abruptly and faced him. "And what? You realized how much of an asshole you were to me that day? After all of the sacrifices I've made for you, you couldn't even do one simple thing for me and hear me out, let me explain myself… You snapped back into your old hateful self instead and just ran off. And that's crap, Killian."

"I know, love. I'm…"

"Don't call me that."

"Emma. Please allow me to explain myself now."

She folded her arms across her chest and waited.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you that way. I just… I love you so much and to know that you didn't feel the same… It really hit me."

"I did love you. But I loved Regina more… I just never thought she'd feel the same."

"So it has always been her?"

Emma nodded. "I was too afraid to let her know how I felt."

Hook smirked. "Well, the Evil Queen does inspire quite a bit of fear."

"Yeah…"

His tone became serious again. "She makes you happy?"

She smiled. "Very much."

"Then I'm happy for you." He took her hand. "You've worked so hard to give everyone their happy endings, always putting yourself last for the sake of protecting your loved ones… It's time you got your happy ending, Emma. And if that's with Regina, then no one should deny you that."

"Thank you, Killian."

They embraced for a moment.

"There's one more thing, Emma."

She looked at him in surprise. "What's that?"

"My unfinished business. It was you."

"You… You're not coming back with us."

"I will help you defeat Hades, but this is the end of the road for me."

"Are you sure, Killian? Is this really what you want?"

"I've lived plenty a long life, Emma, and I think that this is what is best for me. And after seeing my brother move on… Well, maybe we can meet up again. That's if I move on to a better place."

"You will move on to a better place. That man you wanted to be? You've shown me that you _are_ him."

Hook smiled.

* * *

Emma came back to the loft with Hook, and he told them—minus Gold, Belle, and Zelena—of his decision. So nearly a week later at the eve of Hades' defeat, the six of them accompanied him to the very place Regina had watched both her father and her mother move on. Hook had helped out where he could, but they all agreed it was best for him to do this before facing Hades.

The two were no longer in an intimate relationship, but their past together still made it hard for Emma to let him go. Regina would have found it difficult too had it been Robin.

The blonde was fighting back tears as she began to walk with him down the path. They all were. Regardless of his villainous past, he had come a long way and really had formed a friendship with each of them. The seven of them had become somewhat of a unit after Neverland, and after all of the battles they had faced together, losing someone from that structure wasn't easy.

And that was what caused her to step forward.

"You don't have to do this, Killian."

Hook turned to look at her.

"You can come back with us. We will find a way. We always do."

"Regina's right," Emma said, glancing from her to Hook. "You can still choose otherwise. We won't leave you behind."

"I know. But this is what I want."

Regina gave a small nod. He was sincerely ready to leave this life. "You're ready to move on."

"Aye."

The blonde smiled sadly at him.

Hook glanced towards the end of the cave, but instead of walking in that direction, he turned her way and approached her. "I know you love Emma very much. As much as Emma loves you. I've seen your affection for each other in the last week, and I couldn't be happier for the both of you. And I wish you two the best… All of you… As you embark in whatever life throws your way. Hopefully no more evil will threaten Storybrooke. So all of you can settle down and enjoy one another's company."

"I hope so, too," she said.

"Promise me one thing, Regina."

"What's that?"

"Please take care of Emma."

"You know I will."

Emma chimed in. "We save each other. It's kind of something we've always done. Whether or not at the time we appreciated it."

Regina laughed at the distant memories of her tense relationship with the blonde during her first few months in Storybrooke. "Yeah…" She shook her head. "I can't believe I'm going to do this Guyliner, but…"

His brow furrowed at the statement, but the confusion didn't last long, as she pulled him into a hug seconds after she had stopped talking.

"Thank you for accepting our relationship, Killian."

"You're welcome, Regina. Both of you have fought long and hard for your happy endings. And that's each other."

Regina stepped back from him, wiping away the tears from her eyes. Despite all of the frustration the pirate had caused her, she couldn't help but be moved by the selflessness he was displaying now.

The others jumped in, each giving him a hug before he came back to Emma. The blonde looked down at her hands and then held out the chain with his ring to him.

"Emma…"

"No. You should have it back. Let it be a memory of me. Of the _good_ man you became."

Hook nodded and took the chain with his hand, placing it around his neck. "Thank you, Emma. For everything you've done for me."

She gave him a hug. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too, Emma."

They parted, and with one last glance at everyone, he took a few steps down the path. Regina came to Emma's side, pulling her close as they watched him continue. He soon made it to the end of the path, and the familiar scene took place. The sound of the ground shifting, the brief instance of fire encircling him. Regina held her breath, hoping for the best.

 _Please let him move on to a better place. Please._

And then… They saw the sea and a boat in the distance coming for him. Emma shook her shoulder, smiling up at her. She let out her breath.

"This is what he saw with Liam moving on. He's going to a better place."

"That's great, Emma."

The boat wasn't empty either.

"It's… It's Liam! He's going to be reunited with him. Just like he'd hoped for."

Regina smiled at the blonde's excitement.

Hook glanced back at them. When the boat stopped in front of him, he turned away, taking hold of his brother's hand.

"Didn't think I would let you go alone, did you, Brother?"

Hook smiled.

"There's a ship waiting for you. Kind of like…"

"The Jolly Roger?"

"Exactly. Ready, Captain?"

He stepped on to the boat, and they were on their way.

And even in the cave, they could heard the faint noise of the clock hand moving its place. Another soul saved from the Underworld.

* * *

 _~Present~_

They were now sitting in the sand, gazing at the ocean and enjoying the peace that nature offered them. Neither of them had spoken for some time, but it didn't bother Regina. Just sitting next to Emma, her hand intertwined with hers, was all she needed.

As much as she didn't want to disrupt this relaxing moment with the blonde, she did need to get something off her chest. She still hadn't talked to Snow and Charming. She had run through many versions in her head of what she would say to them, but she was never fully satisfied with the apology. There was so much she had to apologize for, and she just didn't think all of the words she could say would ever make up for the terrible things she had done to them.

"Emma?"

The blonde turned her head and smiled at her. "Yes, Regina?"

"You know I want to talk to your parents."

They had discussed the topic briefly since their return to Storybrooke.

"I'm a bit nervous to do it."

"How come? They'll forgive you, Regina. I mean, they kind of already have since they're okay with us being together."

"I know. I guess I feel that no matter what the apology, no matter how many times I say sorry, it will never make up for what I've done. I wish I could give to them… To you… What all of you never had for twenty eight years. For them, that was spending time with their daughter and watching you grow up into the wonderful person you are now. And for you, that was having a loving and caring family during those twenty eight years instead of a life of complete loneliness."

"You may not be able to give us those years back, but you have made up for what you've done. You might not think so, but you have. You have come such a long way since I first met you. Despite what you might think… That you don't know how to love well? You've shown me how wrong you were to ever think that. When you love, Regina, you love deeper than any other person I know."

Regina smiled.

"My parents know that you are truly sorry for what you did in the past. And they have forgiven you. But apologizing for it now, after all of these years? That's a big step, Regina. They will appreciate that. So…" Emma stood up and helped her to her feet. They both brushed the sand off their jeans, and then the blonde nodded ahead of her. "Go on. You know what you need to do."

Regina nodded slightly and turned around, taking a few steps forward when another thought came to her.

Graham.

She had never told anyone how he had died. That she crushed his heart and killed him. On the same day she had gone to look for Daniel's tombstone, she had searched for Graham's as well. If she had found either of the two still roaming the Underworld, she would have helped both of them with their unfinished business if they had been ready to move on.

She turned back to the blonde. "Emma?"

Emma raised an eyebrow at her.

"There's something else."

"What's that?"

"Graham."

"Oh. Um, what about him?"

Regina brought her hands together. "I went to look for his tombstone in the Underworld."

"You wanted to see if he moved on?"

Regina nodded.

"And?"

She smiled at the memory. "The tombstone had fallen over. He moved on to a better place."

"That's great to hear."

"Yeah…" She shifted uncomfortably. "He didn't die of natural causes, Emma. I… I killed him."

Emma nodded slowly.

"I was jealous… And desperate. I didn't want him to be with you. Back then, you may have thought that was because I had feelings for him. But it was really because I had feelings for _you_."

The blonde smiled briefly.

"And the curse obviously played a role. You restoring his memories after you two shared a kiss posed a threat to me. But I really hated the idea of you two being together. So, I did what the Evil Queen did best. Act selfish and get rid of the problem in the easiest way possible. And that was to crush his heart."

"He was searching for his heart that night. I guess he was looking in the right place after all."

"Yeah… His death really did bother me in the Underworld. I never told anyone the truth. Maybe you put two and two together and figured it was me, based on my past. I am really, _really_ sorry about his death. I should _not_ have done that to him. He did _not_ deserve to die."

"I forgive you. Remember, Regina." Emma put her hands on her shoulders and gave them a gentle shake. "You are _not_ that person anymore."

Regina nodded.

Emma backed away from her. "Now _go_. It's my parents' turn to hear from you. I'll catch up with you later."

She laughed. "Alright. I'll let you know how it went."

Nearly half an hour later, Regina was standing outside the door to the loft. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Emma told her that her parents had already forgiven her for her past crimes, but knowing that still didn't make it any easier to have this conversation. No matter what, it was reopening old wounds, bringing to life the previous feuds that hung heavy on all on their hearts.

 _Please let this go well._

The door opened to reveal Snow. She smiled at her presence and said cheerfully, "Regina. Please, come in." She took a few steps inside and waited for Snow to join her at her side. "What's up?"

She glanced around the kitchen. "Is Charming around?"

"He's actually just about to get home. Is there something you wanted to discuss with him?"

"Yes, but I wanted to talk with you as well. I need to apologize for… Well, quite a few things."

Snow reached out to take her hands and gave them a comforting squeeze. "We'll wait for him then."

* * *

 _The third chapter will go into Regina's conversation with Snow and Charming, a resolution scene with Regina and Zelena, and some Charming-Mills family fun. Review and let me know if you would like to see something in the next chapter, or if you have any other ideas in general for the story. I love to hear what you think!_


	3. New Beginnings

_**A/N:**_ _Hey everyone! I apologize it took so long to update this one. I struggled a bit with writing this chapter, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

 _Chapter Three: New Beginnings_

Regina put her hands around the mug and stared down at her cocoa. Snow had made some for the both of them as they waited for Charming to get home. In the moments leading up to his arrival, the two made small talk, which revolved mostly around how baby Neal was doing.

But then came the pivotal moment.

Snow and Charming were both waiting for her to speak.

She cleared her throat and looked back up at them.

"I'm sorry. For everything I've done to you two. I shouldn't have waited this long to apologize."

Snow looked at her husband, then turned her gaze back to her. "It's okay, Regina. Really. We…"

Regina shook her head. "No, it's not okay. I separated you two from your daughter for twenty eight years because of a curse I casted. All out of vengeance against you, Snow." The memories of the little girl she saved from the wild steed, the girl who wanted nothing but for her to be happy… Her past with Snow, the things she had done to her, it was all coming back to torment her, and with those memories came the pool of tears she could no longer hold back. "When you did _nothing_ wrong."

Snow's eyes mirrored her own, and she frowned at her pained expression.

"You were so young. Just a child. All you were trying to do was help me. You didn't want me to lose my mother, like you had lost yours. Telling my mother about Daniel… Well, you thought my mother would listen, that she would let me marry him because he made me happy…" She took hold of Snow's hand. "You just wanted me to be happy. And what happened to Daniel is _not_ your fault. It was _never_ your fault."

"I still feel terrible. When I found out he hadn't run away… That he'd actually died because of a secret I slipped…" Snow lowered her head, covering her face with her free hand as the sobs took their toll.

Regina's heart skipped a beat at the scene. She shook her head. "No, no. Please don't feel guilty for that." She exchanged a concerned glance with Charming, and she brought her chair over to Snow's side, immediately pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, dear. It's okay."

It was clear that Daniel's death had burdened Snow for a long time.

She hated that Snow felt that way. And what was worse, she knew that she had made her feel guiltier about his death than she should have ever felt.

Regina caught Charming's eyes and noticed they were glistening. He quickly blinked away the tears, but there was no denying what she had seen. Even Charming was crying, moved by the much needed resolution between the two.

When they backed away from the embrace, Regina asked gently, "Tell me, did you rip out Daniel's heart and crush it?"

"No…"

"Exactly, Snow. You told a secret, but your intention was never to have him dead. You were able to accept that I didn't love your father. And I know your father would never have forced me to marry him had he known the truth. It was my mother who killed Daniel. She planned it all. She wanted me to marry into royalty. You and your father were just pieces of the whole puzzle. And what a shame that you two were taken advantage of and had to pay the price because of me. It should never have been that way."

Regina looked down as another memory flashed before her eyes.

Snow's father. One of the long list of lives she had taken so easily without any remorse at the time.

"And then I had your father killed. All so I could become queen. You already lost your mother, and then I took away the only parent you had left." She found the strength to look up at Snow again. "I am so, _so_ sorry for that."

"I forgive you, Regina. I really do." She wiped away a few of her tears. "I guess we're even. I'm sorry for killing your mother. Despite all of the things she did to us, to _you_ … I know you loved her very much. She deserved another chance. Like we gave you. If you could change for the better, I know she would have, too." She smiled. "Actually, she did. In the Underworld. By bringing you and Zelena together and telling you two the truth about your past."

"Yeah. I suppose she did."

One apology down.

So many more to go.

"There's so much more, Snow. I pushed you into the life of a bandit so you could protect yourself from me, put you under a sleeping curse, framed you for murder…"

"Regina."

She paused.

"I forgive you for everything."

Regina smiled. "Thank you, Snow." She glanced at Charming with an eyebrow raised. "You ready for the waterworks, Charming? It's your turn."

Snow laughed.

"I don't cry," he said.

"Oh really? What did you call that eye glistening I saw when Snow and I were hugging?"

He shrugged it off casually. "I had something in my eye."

Snow slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Stop lying."

"Okay, so maybe I was crying a little."

Regina came back to the other side of the table and took hold of Charming's hand. "I'm sorry that I stopped at nothing to keep you from separated from your wife. That I made you watch Snow fall under the sleeping curse. That I ruined your wedding day. That even in Storybrooke, I did everything to keep you two apart. I threatened your family so many times. And honestly, I don't…" Her voice cracked as another wave of tears won their battle and began to fall down her face. "I don't know what I've done to deserve being with Emma."

"You make her happy," Snow said. "Happier than she's ever been. And we want nothing more than our daughter to be happy."

Charming spoke next. "Regina, you are not defined by your past. And I forgive you. The thing that matters is what you are doing now. We've all made mistakes that we regret. But the fact that you're owning up to those mistakes and apologizing for them? It means a lot to both Snow and I."

Snow nodded her agreement.

"Thank you," Regina said quietly. "Both of you."

They smiled at her.

After more than twenty eight years, she had finally done it. She had finally given the Charmings the apology they deserved. Was there more she could apology for? Of course. She could most likely find at least one thing to apologize for everyday for the next few months. When something came to mind, she would probably do it. But this was a huge start. And she was thankful that she had finally found the courage to open up to them.

 _Thank you, Emma, for helping me get to this point._

"I think we should have a little get-together."

Regina and Charming looked at Snow in surprise.

"A get-together?" her husband asked.

"Yes. Tomorrow. Here. At three. Regina, Emma, Henry, Robin…"

A thought came to Regina and she blurted out, "Zelena."

"Of course! She's invited, too."

"Great." Regina stood up from her chair. She knew her sister needed this. She had not been in the highest of spirits after Hades' betrayed her in the Underworld. She needed to talk to her. "I'm sorry that this is so sudden, but there's something I need to do."

"It's completely fine!" Snow said. "Go ahead."

Regina nodded. "Thank you. I'll see you two tomorrow. I'll bring something… Let me know if there is anything specific you'd like me to make or get." She turned around and headed to the door, leaving the loft seconds later.

She pulled out her phone.

 _xxxxxx_

 _3:23pm – Regina Mills: I finished talking with your parents. It went well. They were very forgiving and grateful that I apologized for what did._

 _3:26pm – Emma Swan: See? I told you that they would be and appreciate that you apologized._

 _3:28pm – Regina Mills: Can you believe that even your father cried a little bit at the whole thing?_

 _3:29pm – Emma Swan: No way! Wish I would have seen that._

 _3:31pm – Regina Mills: He tried to deny it, but it happened._

 _3:31pm – Emma Swan: Lol._

 _3:32pm – Regina Mills: I have one more stop to make. I need to talk to Zelena._

 _3:33pm – Emma Swan: Sounds good._

 _3:35pm – Regina Mills: Come over tonight? At seven? I'll make dinner for the three of us._

 _3:37pm – Emma Swan: I'll be there :)_

 _3:38pm – Regina Mills: :) Oh, be ready for a get-together tomorrow. Your mother wants to celebrate._

 _3:40pm – Emma Swan: Oh boy. I'll go talk to her about it._

 _3:43pm – Regina Mills: I think it'll be fun._

 _3:43pm – Emma Swan: I think so too._

 _xxxxxx_

She dialed Zelena's number and waited for her to answer.

* * *

Zelena was already at the diner, and as she walked inside, she noticed she was staring glumly down at her cup of tea. Regina frowned. Their relationship had become much better since Cora had revealed it was her fault that the two were separated from each other for practically their whole life. They had even gotten together a few times to talk about their mother after returning from the Underworld, reflecting on her moving on to a better place and Regina answering the questions Zelena had about Cora. Her sister's jealous nature towards her had certainly subsided, but Regina knew she had not fully recovered from being abandoned by Cora as a baby.

Regina wished things had been different. That they could have grown up together and that Zelena could have gotten to know her mother's kind side. Maybe neither one of them would have gone down the villainous paths they had if they'd had each other.

Their mother's last few words to them still killed her.

She never had the chance to say goodbye to Regina before she died.

For Zelena, she never had the chance to properly say hello.

It wasn't coping with the loss of Mother that was really hurting her, though. It was Hades. He had made her believe that he loved her and then tricked her last minute. She was just a part of the plan to try to defeat them all. Regina was afraid that this might be the outcome, but told her to follow her heart regardless. And she ended up heartbroken once again.

Regina understood the feeling too well. They had both gotten their hearts broken many times throughout their lives, and each time it happened, it became more difficult to move on and start over again.

She made her way over to the booth and sat across from her. "Hey."

Zelena looked up from her tea and smiled at her. "Hello, sis."

"Ever try cocoa with cinnamon?"

"I can't say that I have. Why?"

"It's Emma's and Henry's favorite. Emma just got me to try it a few days ago. It's actually very good."

"I suppose I'll have to give it a try then." She took a sip of her tea before continuing. "So. You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes. I actually wanted to invite you to a little get-together the Charmings are having tomorrow."

"A get-together? What are we celebrating?"

Regina thought for a moment. Snow hadn't exactly pinpointed what the occasion was for and suggested the idea rather randomly. However, the more she thought about it, the more she realized the reason behind the event was completely obvious. She smiled. "Family."

"And they would want me there?"

"Why not?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess I don't consider myself as belonging to a part of their family."

"I wasn't at first. I absolutely despised them. But then I met Emma, eventually really got to know who the Charmings were, and found they weren't such terrible people at all. Of course, it only took a curse, their daughter, and Henry to help me realize that. But that was the villain in me back then. They gave me a chance to prove that I could walk away from that past, and then as time went on, my former enemies became my best friends. Just like I told you in the Underworld."

"That's nice and all, but I think I've failed my numerous second chances."

"That might be true, but don't think I didn't do the same. It took a long while for me to earn anyone's trust. Yet someone was always willing to let me try again."

"Let me guess. That someone was Emma?"

"Yeah. Emma did that for me."

"You're really lucky, Regina. To have someone in your life like that."

Regina could read the pain in her eyes. "Zelena, I'm really sorry about what happened with Hades."

"It's alright. I should have listened to you. I don't know why I even let myself fall for the lord of the Underworld." She shook her head at what she believed to be a silly thought.

"You were in love. And love makes us do crazy, stupid things sometimes. I cursed an entire realm because of love."

"I just… I'm afraid no one will ever love me."

"No, no." She took Zelena's hands in her own. "Do _not_ say that, Zelena. That is _not_ true."

"Why would anyone want to love me? I'm wicked."

"But you are so much more than that. You just have to be willing to let go of the past and move on. I know it's hard, but I believe in you."

"Thanks, Regina."

"I promise you, you will find love one day. And who knows? Maybe that someone will come into your life in the most unexpected way."

"Kind of like Emma did with you?"

"Well, her arrival was somewhat expected. She was destined to break the curse at twenty eight."

Zelena laughed.

"So you will come, right?" She raised an eyebrow at her. "I won't allow you to sulk around all night as the alternative."

Zelena let out an exasperated sigh, but she did so in a joking fashion. "I _suppose_ I have room in my schedule to make an appearance."

Regina smirked.

"But really, though. Thank you for inviting me, Regina."

She gave her hands a gentle squeeze and pulled them away. "It starts at three. We're having it at the Charmings' loft. Feel free to bring food."

"I might just do that. So…" Zelena faced her with a curious stare. "You and Emma…"

"Me and Emma what?"

"You two have always loved each other?"

She felt her cheeks go warm. "Yes."

"Hm. So… When's the marriage proposal?"

"What?"

"Well, you've always loved each other. Thought it would make sense."

"We've only been dating for a few weeks."

Zelena laughed. "I'm only joking, sis."

Regina shook her head.

"But when you two do get married, I'd better be the first to know."

She looked down at her hands. She hadn't given the idea much though, but she just knew. Emma was the one. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with the blonde. She let her mind wander, watching Emma walk toward her, being escorted by her father, them taking hands, exchanging their vows…

"Aw, look at you blush."

"Stop it."

"Regina."

She looked up.

"I'm really happy for you and Emma."

"Thank you, Zelena."

A sudden beep from Zelena's phone pulled her away from the conversation, and she checked it quickly. "It's Robin."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. He just wanted to let me know he would be leaving soon to take Roland to dinner. Time for Mommy to return home to see her daughter."

Robin and Zelena had been able to put aside their differences and were much closer now that they were both taking care of the newborn.

Zelena waved down a waitress, and she got her check. As she paid for her order, she asked Regina, "So, what are your plans for the evening?"

"Dinner with Emma and Henry."

"Ah. I should have guessed."

They exited the diner and stopped at the beginning of the sidewalk. Regina turned to Zelena. "Tell Robin about the get-together for me? Bring Roland and the baby with you." She folded her arms across her chest. "By the way, the baby's name? You and Robin have been pretty secretive about this. You must have picked out a name by now."

"How about… We'll tell you at the party?"

Before Regina had the chance to protest, Zelena said goodbye and began to walk away. She shook her head, but she figured she could wait one more day. They were celebrating family tomorrow after all, and it would be the perfect time to make such an announcement.

* * *

The get-together was a perfect ending to the chaos that had consumed them in the Underworld. It was also a perfect beginning to something that all of them really needed: a close-knit group of people they could go to if they ever needed anything and call family.

There was a lot of talking and laughing and eating and making of pleasant memories overall. Emma made sure to have her camera ready and take pictures—a combination of both nice and silly pictures. The camera got passed around to everyone. Once Zelena got the hang of using the camera, she absolutely loved taking pictures of them at the worst times. She even discovered the filming feature and captured any funny moments that she could, which some of them enjoyed more than others.

Of course, it wouldn't be a party without Zelena annoying them at least once!

Emma couldn't wait to watch those videos later.

Baby Hood's name finally got revealed. Regina had let her know beforehand that she'd asked her sister to tell her the baby's name yesterday, but Zelena had settled for an announcement at the get-together instead.

They decided to name her after her father. Robin and Zelena had discussed several names after returning to Storybrooke, but Zelena insisted that "Robin" was the perfect fit. At the end of the reveal, Neal let out a delighted little squeal.

Emma documented the whole scene with her camera.

"Well, I guess that Neal approves," Snow said with a chuckle.

Maybe her little brother would be friends with Robin one day?

Oh, it also wouldn't be a party if Henry didn't pull out his storybook.

"Since we are all here as family tonight, we should do some storytelling," he announced with his book in his hands. "One story I think all of you will like in particular is how my two moms met."

"Oh, do tell!" Zelena said excitedly. "I'd love to hear how it all started."

"Me too," Robin said. "You two did say you always loved each other."

Emma and Regina answered at the same time. "We did."

Henry smiled at their response. "Instead of me telling the story, though, I think my moms should."

"Henry. We'll be here all night."

Zelena leaned back in her chair. "That is quite alright, Regina. I've had my caffeine, and I am ready to stay up all night to listen."

"You have a child to take care of, Zelena. You'll have to leave at some point."

Zelena looked at Snow and Charming. "Mind if Robin and I stay the night?"

They both shook their head.

"It's been settled. All night it is."

"Besides, we want to hear it as much as you do," Snow said, turning her chair to face Emma and Regina.

"Can't we just listen to the story of how you and Dad fell in love?"

"Sure. I'll give everyone the quick summary." Charming cleared his throat and then began. "Snow robbed my carriage. I went after her, threatening that I would always find her, which happened to be a quite accurate statement. Oh, the thing she stole from me was the ring that my mother gave me to give to my love one day, and yes, that's the ring Snow is currently wearing right now. I got knocked out a few times by her, and she did get away, but obviously I found her again and we ended up having to fight some trolls to get my ring back. We separated for a while, but we came back to each other. Regina placed her under a sleeping curse, I kissed her and she woke up, and we took back the kingdom and got married. There were some other details, but I think that about covers it. Right, Snow?"

"Yep. Now, Emma and Regina?"

Regina looked at Emma. "We're not getting out of this one, are we?"

Emma shook her head. "Nope."

"Well, where do we begin?"

"My twenty eighth birthday. When Henry found me." Emma took Regina's hand. "And brought me home."

Regina smiled.

So they told their story, Emma and Regina finishing each other's sentences several times. They were even able to finish the story for both Zelena and Robin, and it wasn't terribly late. Everyone applauded at the end, which made both of them blush.

But Emma's favorite part of the whole evening? When she was sitting at the kitchen table with her parents, Henry, and Regina, looking through the pictures they had taken. Emma had retrieved her laptop so they could all see the photos on a larger display. And all of them were drinking cocoa with cinnamon, of course, because what other beverage would have made sense?

She still couldn't believe Regina had never considered trying it until a few days ago.

"This one has to go," Regina said with a disapproving nod of her head. "I look horrible."

"I'm sure it's not that bad." Emma reached for the laptop, but Regina pulled it closer to her. "It's not like I'm going to share it over social media or anything."

"You won't be sharing it with anyone because I'm deleting it."

Right as Regina was about to press the "delete" key, Snow snatched the laptop from her. "No. We're keeping these _all_ of these pictures. I want make a photo album."

Emma and Regina exchanged a worried glance.

Henry leaned over to them and whispered, "If you should be worried about anyone sharing pictures over social media, it's Grandma. Good thing she doesn't have a Facebook."

"You got that right, kid," Emma whispered back.

Regina faced him with a serious stare. "Wait. Do _you_ have a Facebook?"

Henry leaned back in his chair. "Um…"

"He's almost fourteen, Regina. He's faced curses and villains and even drove your car to come find us after Isaac trapped us in his book. I think he can handle Facebook."

"Oh really, Miss Swan? I suppose I can safely assume that you went behind my back and allowed him to make an account, then?"

Emma grinned sheepishly. "Well… It was before we were together, and he knew you'd say no, so… Oops? You can, um, forgive me, right? We've all been very forgiving this weekend…"

Regina just glared at her.

"Please?"

Same expression.

Charming placed his cup down on the table tentatively. "Oh no. Someone is in deep trouble."

Snow finally looked away from the laptop to comment on the scene in front her. "Nah-uh, Emma. You do _not_ mess with the Evil Queen."

Regina caved and burst out laughing. The rest of them followed suit.

"You do forgive me, though. Right, Regina?"

Regina had the side of her face covered with her hand, trying to hide a smirk as she tapped her fingers on the table and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I'll have to think about it."

"Stop lying, Regina. I know you forgive me. Remember I can tell when someone is lying?"

"That's right. Your superpower. But I'm not lying, dear."

Emma pulled her hand away and saw her smiling. "Hm. Sure you're not lying?"

"You got me."

They met for a kiss.

Snow found this to be a perfect opportunity to take out her phone and snap off a picture.

"Mom!"

"What? I want pictures for the photo album."

"You've got plenty from tonight!"

"I didn't get any of you and Regina kissing."

Charming leaned across the table. "See, Regina? You're going to love being a part of our family."

Regina laughed. "Well, it definitely seems there will never a dull moment. And I don't mind that one bit."

Regina was right. As long as Emma had her, Henry, and her parents by her side, she knew there would never be any dull moments.

They continued to look at the pictures from the evening (none of which got deleted) and watched all of the ridiculous videos Zelena had shot. When they finished, they started making plans for another get-together. They decided it would be a new tradition, something they could do every few weeks.

Emma raised her cup for a toast. "Here's to new beginnings."

Everyone hit their cups together and said in unison, "To new beginnings."

Regina loved her.

She had made amends with her parents.

And Emma had many future moments to look forward to that she would be spending with her family.

These were new beginnings she was thankful for.

* * *

 _I think this will be the end to this one. Hope everyone enjoyed this story :)_


End file.
